1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile unit communication apparatus for communicating between mobile units such as a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
A communication device for communicating with another traveling vehicle during traveling and exchanging the information such as a traveling state of the vehicles is already disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei. 5-266399(JP-A-5-266399) for example. Such a conventional type communication device is provided with a radio communication device, transmits a radio signal including an information signal of a vehicle where the radio communication device is mounted by the radio communication device, receives an information signal related to another vehicle by the radio communication device, analyzes the received information signal related to another vehicle and informs the driver and others of the vehicle of information required for the traveling of the vehicle.
However, as an information signal of an own vehicle is individually transmitted from multiple vehicles in a place where multiple vehicles gather such as an intersection in case such a conventional type inter-vehicle communication device is used in each vehicle, a communication device in each vehicle is required to process all received information signals, the quantity of processing for analysis is increased and efficient processing is disabled. That is, there is a problem that it may take much time until a communication device in each vehicle acquires information required to secure safe traveling, for example the information of an opposite vehicle.
This is not limited to a vehicle and is also similar in a mobile unit such as shipping.
The object of the invention is to provide a mobile unit communication apparatus that can also efficiently acquire required information from another mobile unit in a place where multiple mobile units gather.
A mobile unit communication apparatus according to the invention is a mobile unit communication apparatus mounted in a mobile unit for transmitting and receiving an information signal and is characterized in that azimuth detecting means for detecting the traveling azimuth of a mobile unit, transmitting means for adding an identification code corresponding to the traveling azimuth detected by the azimuth detecting means to an information signal to be transmitted and transmitting it, receiving means for receiving an incoming information signal and information processing means for processing the incoming information signal according to the traveling azimuth shown by the identification code added to the incoming information signal received by the receiving means are provided.
An incoming information signal means an information signal transmitted from another mobile unit and incoming to receiving means.
According to the invention, as an identification code corresponding to the traveling azimuth of a mobile unit where a mobile unit communication apparatus is mounted is added to an information signal to be transmitted and the information signal is transmitted, an incoming information signal transmitted from another mobile unit is received and the information signal from another mobile unit is processed according to the traveling azimuth shown by an identification code added to the received information signal from another mobile unit, all information signals from any other mobile unit in a place where multiple mobile units gather are not required to be processed and information required to secure safe traveling can be efficiently acquired in a short time.
As the information processing means is provided with decision means for deciding that a traveling azimuth shown by an identification code added to an incoming information signal received by receiving means and a traveling azimuth detected by azimuth detecting means are opposite and processing for extracting information from the incoming information signal only when it is detected by the decision means that both traveling azimuths are opposite is executed, only an information signal from another mobile unit traveling opposite can be easily acquired.
Also, a mobile unit communication apparatus according to the invention is a mobile unit communication apparatus mounted in a mobile unit for transmitting and receiving an information signal and is characterized in that azimuth detecting means for detecting the traveling azimuth of a mobile unit, transmitting means for transmitting an information signal to be transmitted via a channel corresponding to a traveling azimuth and receiving means for receiving an incoming information signal via a channel corresponding to an azimuth different from a traveling azimuth are provided.
According to the invention, as an information signal to be transmitted is transmitted via a channel corresponding to the traveling azimuth of a mobile unit where a mobile unit communication apparatus is mounted and an information signal from another mobile unit incoming via a channel corresponding to an azimuth different from the traveling azimuth is received, all information signals from any other mobile unit in a place where multiple mobile units gather are not required to be received and processed and information required to secure safe traveling can be efficiently acquired in a short time.